Class 5-6 play performances of The Oddity will take place on November 21 at 9:00 a.m. and on November 22 at 9:00 a.m. and 4:oo p.m. in the community room. The final performance will be followed by a class potluck at 5:30 p.m.
The Oddity is a timeless, fantastical tale, complete with song and dance, of a quirky Professor Odessa, his companion, Abeena, a honeybee that only he can talk to, and their creation, Penelopea, a pea plant with magical powers.
After winning a horticultural award named “The Helen” in Troy, NY, he is ready to return to his home and garden back in Ithaca, NY. However, his course is altered when an Erie Canal barge person and her mule unwittingly set him off down the Hudson River instead of the Erie Canal. His effort to return to Ithaca and the mishaps that hinder them take the professor all across the United States and acquaint him with some colorful locals along the way. Finally, after being held captive in Calypso, NC, he is returned to Ithaca where he must distinguish himself from many imposters.
The play is lengthy, but captivating. It is full of nuance and similar to an epic tale about another Ithacan so you may want to familiarize yourself with Homer’s Odyssey as a primer for the play. We look forward to seeing you there.
—Robert Kaczor, Class 5-6 Teacher
Mr. Kaczor’s chalk drawing, and details, for The Oddity
